Automatic starting mechanism for internal combustion engines



E. A. WATSON AUTOMATIC STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTIONENGINES Filed Jan. 24, 1935 May 14, 1935.

INVENTOH firnesi/Znslgglflaiaom BY M MW ATTO NEY Patented May 14, 1935UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC STARTING BIECIIANISM FOB INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINES Ernest Ansley Watson,

Birmingham, England, ass'ignor to Eclipse Machine Company, Elmira,

Great Britain 4 Claims.

Application has been filed in Great Britain December 30, 1933.

This invention relates to an automatic starting device for internalcombustion engines and, more particularly, to a device for automaticallystarting an engine on closure of a manual switch and restarting the samein case of engine stall as long as said manual switch remains closed.

One object of the present invention is to provide an automatic startingdevice which is reliable and efllcient and provides an uninterruptedcranking operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a starting device of theabove type embodying provisions whereby a continuous cranking operationis secured while the device is disconnected as soon as the engine startsand remains inoperative so long as the engine is running under its ownpower.

Another object of the invention is to effect the automatic control ofthe starting switch in a simpler and more convenient manner thanheretofore.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means responsiveto self operation of the engine to allow energization of the means foropening the starting motor circuit.

According to a particular feature of the invention, the opening meansare controlled in response to the current flowing through the startingmotor circuit.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in thisart from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing which shows a diagrammatic illustration of apreferred form of the invention.

On this drawing, there is illustrated an electrical starting system foran internal combustion engine indicated semi-diagrammatically at 2comprising a starting motor circuit controlled by a starting switch.

The movable contact a of this switch is closed on to the fixed contact17 by an electromagnet comprising a winding c and plunger 6, the lattercarrying the contact a. The switch is opened when released by a spring(not shown). The circuit through the winding contains a hand switch e(which also controls the engine ignition apparatus 1) and a switchresponsive to the action of a second electromagnet. This switch consistsof a blade a fixed at the end It and provided witha movable contact iwhich co-operates with a fixed contact 1. The said second electromagnetcomprises a winding 7: and a plunger 1,

December 30, 1933 the latter being arranged to actuate a lever 111.having at its outer end a roller n adapted to lift the free end of theblade g through an abutment piece 0. The supply of current to thewinding k is controlled by the starting switch (a, b), and the purposeof this electromagnet is to open the switch contacts 1', a, in thecircuit of the first clectrcmagnet c. The switch comprising the contacts1', 7, is of any convenient delay-action type. In the exampleillustrated the delay in the proper closing of the contacts i, j, isobtained by the free vibration of the blade g which persists for a shorttime after release by the lever m. Also the second electromagnet isprovided with an additional winding p which can receive cur- 1:, rentfrom a dynamo q driven by the engine, so that the switch contacts i, 7'.controlled by this electromagnet cannot close while the engine is inmotion. The dynamo supplies current to the battery 0 through theordinary cut-out device indicated by w.

The third electromagnet connects the starting switch contact b to thestarting motor s. This magnet may comprise a single turn 1' surroundinga fixed iron part 2:, or it may consist of a short straight length ofconductor which is partially embraced by the said iron part. The latterserves to act on a movable part carrying a contact t, which co-operateswith a fixed contact u. The electromagnet serves to hold open the saidcontacts t, u, which are situated between the starting switch and thesecond electromagnet winding k, until the current taken by the motorfalls below some predetermined value.

When the engine is at rest the parts above described occupy thepositions shown in the diagram. To effect the starting of the engine bymeans of the starting motor s (which receives current from a battery12), the hand switch e is closed. This causes current to flow from thebat- 40 tery to the ignition apparatus 1, and also through the contacts5, 7', to the winding c. The starting switch (a, b) is thereupon closed.A heavy current now passes from the battery 1) to the starting motor s,and this current causes the third electrornagnet r to open the switchcontacts t, u, connected to the winding k of the second electromagnet.After the engine has been started the current falls and when the fallreaches some predetermined value the third eiectromagnet releases theswitch (t, u) and allows current to flow to the winding is of the secondelectromagnet. The exciting of this magnet causes the contacts i, 7', ofthe delay-action switch in the circuit of the winding c of the firstelectromagnet to be opened,

thereby allowing the starting switch to be opened by its spring. Thecontacts 2', are kept apart by current in the winding p derived from thedynamo driven by the engine.

Should the engine stop accidentally current ceases to flow in thewinding 1), and the contacts 1'. j, of the delay-action switch close,and after a short interval of time dependent on the persist ence ofthevibration of the blade 9 after it has been released, the above describedcycle of operations is repeated and the engine is automaticallyre-started. Intentional stopping of the engine is effected by openingthe hand switch e abovementioned which controls both the starting switchand the ignition apparatus.

Although only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed in detail, it will be understood that said embodiment is notexclusive and that various changes may be made in the construction andarrangements of the parts without departing from the spirit of theinvention as defined in the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:-

1. An automatic starting system for internal combustion engines,including a battery, a starting motor circuit embodying anelectromagnetic switch, a control circuit for said switch, a circuit inparallel with the starting motor circuit embodying electromagnetic meanseifective to open said control circuit, said last named circuitincluding a normally closed switch which opens and disconnects theelectromagnetic opening means from the battery during cranking operationand is caused to close when the engine is running under its own power tocause energization of the opening electromagnetic means from the batteryto open the control circuit and thereby open the electromagnetic switch.

' 2. An automatic starting system for internal combustion engines,comprising a starting motor circuit, means controlling the energizationof said circuit, electromagnetic means in parallel with the startingmotor circuit for opening the same, a normally closed switch controllingthe energization of said electromagnetic means and electromagnetic meansenergized by the current in the starting motor circuit for opening theswitch when the engine is being cranked while releasing said switch whenthe engine is rotating under its own power.

3. An automatic starting system for internal combustion enginesincluding a starting motor circuit comprising a switch, a controlcircuit for said switch including a pair of normally closed contacts anda manually operated switch closure of which causes closure of thestarting switch, electromagnetic means in a circuit in parallel with thestarting motor circuit for opening said contacts only when the enginestarts and electromagnetic means in the starting motor circuit forpreventing efiective energization of the first named electromagneticmeans so long as the engine is being cranked.

4. An automatic starting system for internal combustion enginesincluding a starting motor circuit comprising a switch, a controlcircuit for said switch including a pair of normally closed contacts anda manually operated switch closure of which causes closure of thestarting switch, a circuit in parallel with the starting motor circuitincluding a normally closed switch and electromagnetic means which, whenenergized, causes the opening of the normally closed set of contacts,and electromagnetic means in the starting motor circuit for opening thelast named switch to prevent the opening of said contacts when theengine is being cranked.

ERNEST ANSLEY WATSON.

